Youth Ambassadors Making Friends with the World

Kobe Chen　/　photos Chen Mei-ling　/　tr. by Jonathan Barnard

November 2015

中文日本語

The participants graced the meeting with a wonderful performance.

When we hear the phrase “foreign relations,” we tend to think about serious matters such as diplomatic protocols and international political unrest. Yet, as demonstrated by the actions of a group of young people, foreign relations can be lively and fun too—as natural and simple as young people making friends.

These young ambassadors lovingly convey their concern to the distant corners of the world. Through their constant demonstration of goodwill, they help Taiwan to make friends around the world.

In 2009 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs launched the International Youth Ambassadors Exchange Program. It selects college-age youth in Taiwan to go abroad on exchanges with nations that are on friendly terms with the Republic of China. By demonstrating their friendship and concern, these young ambassadors help Taiwan to establish bonds of friendship and trust on the international stage.

This year 160 students were chosen to be youth ambassadors, divided into ten teams. Altogether they visited 35 countries and 41 cities, giving over 150 performances and making their marks on five continents. They made a big splash in local communities and media.

Energetically representing Taiwan

In order to break through linguistic and cultural barriers, the youth ambassadors take Taiwan’s many charms and mix them into a 90-minute performance, giving audiences in locations around the world a look at Taiwan’s scenery, religious faiths and cultural diversity.

In this big show called Energetic New Taiwan, the students combine ballet, Peking Opera, traditional Chinese vaudeville and modern dance in a highly physical performance. Accompanied by guitar, zither, erhu, and percussion, the show conveys various features of Taiwan, including its Aboriginal and Southern Fujianese heritages, its religions and cultures, its night markets and food, and its “made in Taiwan” manufactured goods, along with unique creative elements added by the young people themselves. It’s a mashup of music and dance featuring rich content.

“The show not only helps the world to get to know Taiwan, but it also helps the children of Taiwan to get to know themselves,” says Yu Shan-min, this year’s artistic and stage director, who was deeply moved by the diligence of the young performers. Yu helped the performers by drawing from her many years of experience working on Broadway productions in New York.

Exchanges change the world

Youth exchanges may start small, but they can have deep and far-reaching effects. After World War II, France and Germany launched history’s largest exchange of students with the aim of creating greater mutual understanding. In the 1990s, after the transformation of the EEC into the EU, the two nations went a step further, marching into a new age by setting aside the pride they had in their own national currencies and embracing the Euro. The move was a demonstration of the power of youth exchanges. Communication, cooperation and sharing can overcome misunderstanding.

Interestingly, youth exchanges can sometimes lead to unanticipated windfalls. Once, after a performance in St. Kitts and Nevis, a member of the audience was so curious about bubble tea that he researched it and began selling it locally. Each act of exchange holds boundless possibilities, providing great opportunities for both sides.

Flying out to see new worlds

Three weeks of hard practice combined with a three-week tour created a precious summer experience for all the participating student ambassadors. “By flying overseas, you really get a sense of how vast the world is, and you come to treasure the beauty of Taiwan even more,” says college sophomore Aileen Kuo. The resources in some places are quite limited. Seeing how the local students treasured and made the most of the scant resources they had, she felt a little ashamed: “We don’t realize how lucky we are.”

Music strikes up at the end of the performance: “A few less scars and a bit more applause,” as the song goes. With their sweat and their laughter, the young ambassadors are working earnestly, bringing Taiwan and the world closer together. The tour may be over, but the friendships it has engendered will last forever.

At the meeting to report on the achievements of the 2015 International Youth Ambassadors Exchange Program, President Ma Ying-jeou and Vice Foreign Minister Vanessa Shih together presented the student participants with their certificates.

While the international youth ambassadors promote Taiwan and engage in exchange around the world, they gain knowledge about foreign nations’ economies, cultures, arts, and agriculture. (courtesy of MOFA)